158kg Wellington man reveals rapid 50kg weight loss

In December last year Mase Luafalealo weighed what he describes as a "whopping" 158.2kgs.

A diet of pies, KFC, McDonald's, Chinese takeout and fizzy drinks made for a lethargic, unhappy life for the building maintenance worker from Wellington.

But fast forward to less than a year later and Luafalealo, 23, has lost close to 50kg, and he's determined to keep going until he reaches "double digits" on the scales.

Speaking to the Herald, Luafalealo has shared how he went from overweight and exhausted to "feeling like a million bucks".

READ MORE: • 'I lost 110kg at bootcamp'

Signing up for an F45 eight week challenge, he committed to a workout plan of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) classes six days a week and a low calorie diet plan.

He traded in the burgers and fried chicken for four meals a day, designed by a nutritionist and consisting of brown rice, salads, chicken, red meat and fish.

With the help of a trainer at Les Mills in Lambton Quay, Luafalealo's body and his sense of wellbeing began to change. He also noticed the eczema that had plagued his skin wasn't as severe anymore either.

READ MORE: • Live Well Road Test: Eight week F45 challenge

Now weighing in at 108kg, Luafalealo says the reactions from family and friends have been encouraging too. "They are stoked with the progress they've seen. I've had comments like: 'You are a whole new person now, looking so much happier ..."

While he admits it's been a tough process, he says once he decided he wanted to make changes, he became addicted to pursuing his healthy new lifestyle.

Luafalealo has shared his journey in the hopes it will inspire others. He says: "To anyone that's struggling with weight and wanting to make a massive lifestyle change I would say just do it."